


Back to the Beginning

by WinterAndLittleBrunettes



Category: The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-18
Updated: 2016-04-18
Packaged: 2018-06-02 17:43:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6576190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinterAndLittleBrunettes/pseuds/WinterAndLittleBrunettes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Link beats Ganondorf, he meets up with Zelda and she asks for the Ocarina of Time back. This is based upon the ending of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, but with a bit of a twist. As usual, I will be writing in first person in Link's perspective, and will give another preface in the beginning notes~</p><p>(I also looked at the Ocarina of Time manga by Akira Himekawa and based some ideas off of it. If you haven't read any of her LoZ mangas, I definitely recommend it!)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Back to the Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> I will be mentioning a bit of battling, as a heads up for those of you who may not be a fan of violence.
> 
> But on the other hand, get ready for the feels!

I peered down at my hands, now covered in Ganondorf's blood.

_I'd done it. I'd killed Ganondorf, before he could do anymore damage to the ruins of Hyrule. The castle was gone, the people of Hyrule were scattered in fear, and Zelda..._

I turned around, looking back at her. She was staring at me, her hands clasped so tightly together that I could see that her knuckles were white. I stepped over Ganondorf's limp form to make my way over to her.

"It's finally over, isn't it?" I question as I reach her.

"It's finally over." she whispers.

I scan our surroundings. _It's even worse than I thought it would be._ "So, now we rebuild Hyrule?"

I glance back over at Zelda, to find she's looking down at her feet. "Not exactly."

_Not exactly..?_

"What do you mean? What happens now, Zelda?"

She takes a deep breath, as if contemplating something, then lifts her head to meet my gaze. "I made a mistake, seven years ago. I thought I could stop Ganondorf, so I tried to take control of the Sacred Realm. But I was wrong. I received the Triforce of Wisdom... And you got dragged into all of this." she lifted her hand to press it to her forehead. "Now that everything is done, the Master Sword has to go back."

"Okay." _Is that all it took to put everything back to normal?_ "Let's go do that, if that will put everything back to the way it was." I turned away from her, just about to take a step, when she stopped me.

"You don't understand, Link. This means that you will be going back to your own time... Seven years ago. None of this will have happened, and you will be the only one to remember all that's happened here. I won't remember this, even if you were to tell me every detail. This is the price we must pay for what has been done..."

I slowly turned back to face her. _She won't remember what's happened here? ...Will she remember me?_ "If that's what needs to be done... Let's do this." I stepped back towards her. "But I want you to know... This wasn't against my will. I got to spend more time with you, both as Shiek and Princess Zelda and that... Makes up for all of it."

Zelda started to tear up. "It's just not fair!" she suddenly exclaims. "Why should you be the one punished, after all you've gone through to put things right?"

 _She was right. Why was I being punished for this?_ I threw caution in the wind, and stepped towards her, wrapping my arms around her and pulled her to my chest. "I wish I knew. But you are also being punished, Zelda." I felt her arms tighten around me, her shoulders shaking slightly. _What could I tell her that would make her feel better about this?_ "Think of it this way... You won't remember all the pain everyone went through to get to this point. You don't ever have to know what evil has done to the beautiful land of Hyrule. Isn't that a good thing?"

She lifted her head up to look at me. "It initially sounds like a good thing, I admit. But... That leaves you all alone in your memories of this time. That's not fair, after what I put you through." she shut her eyes briefly. When she opened them, she looked sadder than before. "When we go back... Can you promise me something, Link?"

"Anything, Zelda." I immediately responded. _She could never ask anything of me that I wouldn't do, even if it were to die so she could live._

"Will you tell me about all of this? Ganondorf, my time as Shiek, your adventure..?" she whispered, moving her hand up to my cheek. "I want to know, even if I can't remember saying this."

"Why would you want to put yourself through all of that, Zelda?" I whispered back, slowly covering her hand with mine. "It's too painful. Why would I hurt you by reminding you of everything that happened here?"

"Because I can't be selfish, Link. I can't leave you all alone in your suffering. I want you to know that I will always be there to talk to, if you ever need it. Can you promise me this?"

I sighed, knowing I couldn't resist the princess' wishes. _I hope she will forgive me for telling her this horrible tale..._ "I promise, Zelda. I will tell you everything."

She nodded, untangled herself from me, and took a small step back, wiping her face from her tears. "Now... Please give me the Ocarina of Time, Link. It's time to send you home." she held her hand out, waiting.

 _Already?_ I slowly pulled the ocarina out of my back pocket, peering down at it. _It seems like such an insignificant object, this musical instrument, but it holds so much more power that it appears to. Was I ready to go back to the beginning?_ "Wait, Zelda..."

A questioning look flashed across her face. Before I could think too much, I stepped towards her, grabbed her waist and kissed her.

She made a surprised noise against my lips, but moved her hand up into my hair, returning the kiss. _I can't believe this is happening, she's kissing back!_ Her lips moved against mine for a moment, before she pulled away slightly to look at me. Her face was flushed, and she looked quite shocked herself.

"Link, I... We can't do this. We have to put things back to normal." she closed her eyes, tilting her head forward to rest against mine. "No matter how much I wish things could stay as they are... We need to set time back."

I sighed softly. _I knew this, but I had to do this at least once..._ "I know. I'm sorry, Zelda." I slowly pulled my hand away from her side, the one still holding the ocarina, and placed it in hers. "I had to know if it was just me."

She started crying again. "It wasn't. I'm so sorry, Link." Zelda brought the Ocarina of Time to her lips, and started to play a tune I didn't recognize.

All of a sudden I was rising above her. I tried to keep looking at her, but she was fading away...

 

The next thing I knew, I was laying on my back in front of the Master Sword's pedestal. I sat up, then moved my hands in front of my face.

They were small hands, those of a child's.

I was back. Seven years in the past, before I grabbed the Master Sword from the pedestal, or even before I knew of it's existence.

_Zelda..._

I jumped up, and ran out of the temple. _I had to know, did she remember me?_

__I ran up the path towards the castle, and saw guards ahead. I knew they wouldn't let me in, so I backpedaled to the vines leading towards higher ground. I avoided the guards and raced into the palace, the same way I had all those years before. _Or maybe it was only yesterday, now. The flow of time is always cruel.__ _

I finally reached the garden where I first met Princess Zelda. She was standing up on a platform, looking into the castle, and she had her back turned to me, just as she did before. She was wearing a purple and white dress, with her hair tied back. She looked so similar, yet so different at the same time. _She wasn't **my**_ _Zelda anymore. What would she say when she saw me?_

I slowly made my way up to her. She didn't turn until I was at the base of the steps leading to the top of the platform. When she finally saw me, she smiled.

And that's when I knew that I shouldn't tell her. _But I made a promise to her, even if she doesn't remember it._

"Link!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here? Sneaking in again?"

I felt a smile break out on my face, despite what I knew I had to say. _She is just as bright and beautiful as I remember. I hope she won't hate me for telling her this._

"Actually, Zelda... I have something to tell you. It's a long story, and I know it sounds like a long shot... But I made a _promise_ , and I have to keep it..."

_~Fin_


End file.
